A whistleblower is someone who works on the “inside.” To elaborate, whistleblowers aim to provide vital information to government agencies about fraud or corruption in companies that harm or risk the public interest. The government agencies then punish the ones proven to be involved in wrongdoings. A whistleblower puts themselves at grave risk by disclosing private and significant information, which is why there are ways to protect yourself as a whistleblower.
You need to understand your rights as a whistleblower if you are considering becoming one. Several laws work towards protecting employees who work as whistleblowers and call out employers’ wrongdoings. To learn more about whistleblowers, click here.
- Understand what action is protected from retaliation.
Several laws protect activities engaged in by whistleblowers. To figure out whether your action is protected from retaliation, you need to understand and learn the protected activities that are under whistleblower statutes. Protected activities typically talk about reporting or refusing to participate in any unlawful activities that violate the law’s rules and regulations.
- Know your statute of limitations.
There is a specific time period during which you are allowed to file a complaint. Suppose your employer retaliates against you, and you find out. In that case, it is wiser to take immediate action instead of waiting, as the statute of limitations restricts legal authorities from allowing complaints after the time period has passed. The deadline for a complaint differs based on what statute you are seeking protection from.
- You can blow the whistle without letting your employer know.
There are specific programs where you can have your identity protected as a whistleblower by government agencies in exchange for important tips and information against your employer. An employer can only retaliate if they are aware of your identity.
- Take notes.
The best way to make your information and tips stronger is by collecting evidence of the information. One way for you to do that is by secretly recording conversations between individuals discussing unlawful activities and retaliating against you for refusing to partake in them. Although recording conversations without the other person’s consent is legal under certain conditions in most states, some states deem this activity illegal, and you should not engage in it if you reside in those states.
Additionally, you can keep notes of the conversations that happen, meetings, and any other vital actions that may indicate unlawful activities. Make sure to keep these notes private so that your employer does not get access to them in any way, as that will result in them cutting off your access and likely retaliating against you.
A whistleblower is someone who works on the “inside.” To elaborate, whistleblowers aim to provide vital information to government agencies about fraud or corruption in companies that harm or risk the public interest. The government agencies then punish the ones proven to be involved in wrongdoings. A whistleblower puts themselves at grave risk by disclosing private and significant information, which is why there are ways to protect yourself as a whistleblower.
You need to understand your rights as a whistleblower if you are considering becoming one. Several laws work towards protecting employees who work as whistleblowers and call out employers’ wrongdoings. To learn more about whistleblowers, click here.
- Understand what action is protected from retaliation.
Several laws protect activities engaged in by whistleblowers. To figure out whether your action is protected from retaliation, you need to understand and learn the protected activities that are under whistleblower statutes. Protected activities typically talk about reporting or refusing to participate in any unlawful activities that violate the law’s rules and regulations.
- Know your statute of limitations.
There is a specific time period during which you are allowed to file a complaint. Suppose your employer retaliates against you, and you find out. In that case, it is wiser to take immediate action instead of waiting, as the statute of limitations restricts legal authorities from allowing complaints after the time period has passed. The deadline for a complaint differs based on what statute you are seeking protection from.
- You can blow the whistle without letting your employer know.
There are specific programs where you can have your identity protected as a whistleblower by government agencies in exchange for important tips and information against your employer. An employer can only retaliate if they are aware of your identity.
- Take notes.
The best way to make your information and tips stronger is by collecting evidence of the information. One way for you to do that is by secretly recording conversations between individuals discussing unlawful activities and retaliating against you for refusing to partake in them. Although recording conversations without the other person’s consent is legal under certain conditions in most states, some states deem this activity illegal, and you should not engage in it if you reside in those states.
Additionally, you can keep notes of the conversations that happen, meetings, and any other vital actions that may indicate unlawful activities. Make sure to keep these notes private so that your employer does not get access to them in any way, as that will result in them cutting off your access and likely retaliating against you.
